Letters: Ten Reasons the Dinky Station Shouldn’t Be Moved

After sitting through the Site Plan Review Advisory Board meeting last night, I have the same question that I had six years ago: why is the Dinky station being moved?

1. All of the Arts buildings can be built and be even more beautiful, if the Dinky is not moved.

2. All of the environmental attributes of the plan can be realized and many of its detriments diminished, if the Dinky is not moved.

3. The grandeur of the current Dinky station as a gateway to Princeton, McCarter, the Seminary and the University can be retained, if the Dinky is not moved.

4. The Lot 7 garage can be accessed either below grade at its south end (only a 9-foot clearance is necessary because the garage’s clearance is less than 9 feet), or at grade at its north end (all cars accessing the garage from Alexander currently cross the Dinky at-grade), if the Dinky is not moved,

5. The service tunnel can readily pass under the Dinky tracks, if the Dinky is not moved,

6. The public’s transportation deed easement on all of the 3.5 acres can be set aside on the portion of the land occupied by the Arts buildings, if the Dinky is not moved,

7. The freight building can be expanded (while preserving its historic features) to create a convenience store for the Forbes and Arts students, if the Dinky is not moved,

8. The Wawa could be relocated to the gas station on the corner of Alexander and Faculty to provide convenience items in close proximity to the new Hibben & Magee , Lawrence and other nearby housing as well as fueling services to those driving on Alexander, if the Dinky is not moved,

The Dinky will NOT be lost under the current proposal, only the station moved a little more than the length of a football field. Granted, this will require some train riders to travel a bit further to hop on board– but the majority of them currently arrive via automobile. The entire uproar of “Save the Dinky” is misleading– the Dinky might be saved by its relocation.

I am not in favor of it. NO ONE who commutes is in favor of it. I just remember walking home from the Dinky, over 1 mile to my house, carrying a briefcase UPHILL. That extra distance is truly a killer to such a scenario.

the move signals progress….why are just a few people able to hold up this project? Everyone I know is in favor of it. I struggle to find supporters to understand what this fight is really about? I mean, everything about this project sounds great to me!